The Kindle Oasis 2 sports the IMX.7 Dual Core Processor.
In 2016, Freescale unveiled the IMX.7 dual-core processor, yet no e-reader companies adopted it until late 2017. Amazon was the first to embrace this new technology, incorporating it into their Kindle Oasis 2, a premium e-reader with audiobook capabilities. Other e-reader firms intend to follow suit by adopting the IMX.7 dual-core processor in late 2018.
The decision by Amazon to employ the IMX.7 is strategically driven, as the Oasis 2 is positioned as a high-end device with a premium price point. With the integration of an audiobook player, Amazon sought to create a robust system, improving user interface browsing and page-turn speeds.
Nik Jedrzejewski, a former Consumer segment Business Development for the i.MX processor family at Freescale, now works in product line management at NXP, the company that purchased Freescale. He has long been focused on the relationship between processors and e-readers. In discussing IMX.7, Jedrzejewski provided insights into the barriers hindering other companies from adopting it.
Jedrzejewski revealed that the switch from the i.MX 6SL to i.MX 7 in e-readers is not particularly challenging, with the primary work being focused on optimizing E-Ink display drivers. However, e-readers normally have unique resolutions, waveforms, and other specific requirements, making optimization a time-consuming process. Additionally, multiple software engineers may be involved in a new e-reader project, leading to a longer development time.
Despite Amazon being the sole user of the IMX.7 dual-core processor, the company does not highlight it on the Oasis 2's technical specifications or in marketing materials.
Michael Kozlowski, editor-in-chief of our platform, has been writing about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. His articles have been published in various well-known newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post, and the New York Times. Kozlowski resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Relevant Enrichment Data:
- The lack of widespread adoption of i.MX7 is primarily due to challenges related to software and hardware integration, excess capabilities for typical e-reader functions, and high development costs.
- Software and operating system support demands specialized expertise, and developing a stable BSP can be a significant challenge for e-reader manufacturers focusing on streamlined solutions.
- The i.MX7 is more suited to applications requiring AI and heavy computation, making it potentially overkill and more complex than necessary for standard e-reading functions.
- Hardware integration presents considerations such as power consumption, thermal design, and hardware compatibility, increasing complexity and cost for e-reader manufacturers.
- Ecosystem and toolchain familiarity may deter adoption as the i.MX7 doesn't have the same breadth of specialized e-reader development communities compared to processors favored in the e-reader industry.
- As more e-reader companies prepare to adopt Freescale's IMX.7 dual-core processor, they will encounter software and hardware integration challenges, necessitating expertise in developing stable BSPs, optimizing E-Ink display drivers, and aligning with unique resolutions, waveforms, and other specific e-reader requirements.
- Smartphone manufacturers may find the i.MX7 more suitable for AI-based applications and heavy computation, but for e-readers, its excess capabilities and high development costs make it potentially overkill and more complex than necessary, hindering widespread adoption.
